Multi-Electrode Apposition Judgment Using Pressure Elements

A method, comprising:

• transluminally positioning a therapeutic assembly in a delivery state within a body lumen of a human patient, wherein nerves are located in tissue at least proximate a wall of the body lumen, and wherein the therapeutic assembly includes—
• a support structure;
• an energy delivery element carried by the support structure;
• and
• a pressure measurement device positioned along the support structure adjacent to the energy delivery element, wherein the pressure measurement device has a first region and a second region;
• obtaining a first nominal pressure measurement via the first region of the pressure measurement device and a second nominal pressure measurement via the second region of the pressure measurement device;
• initiating transformation of the therapeutic assembly from the delivery state to a deployed state at a treatment site within the body lumen;
• after initiating transformation, monitoring a first pressure at the first region and monitoring a second pressure at the second region;
• determining a first pressure measurement by comparing the first monitored pressure to the first nominal pressure;
• determining a second pressure measurement by comparing the second monitored pressure to the second nominal pressure;
• determining an orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall based on the first pressure measurement and the second pressure measurement.

A method, comprising:

• transluminally positioning a therapeutic assembly within a renal blood vessel of a human patient at a treatment site, wherein the therapeutic assembly includes—
• a first energy delivery element and a corresponding first pressure region of a pressure measurement device adjacent to the first energy delivery element;
• a second energy delivery element and a corresponding second pressure region of the pressure measurement device adjacent to the second energy delivery element, wherein the second energy delivery is spaced apart from the first energy delivery element by an element separation distance, and further wherein the first and second pressure regions are offset from one another about a longitudinal axis of the pressure measurement device;
• monitoring pressure at the first pressure measurement device and detecting a first pressure measurement that is outside of a pre-determined range at the first pressure measurement device;
• monitoring pressure at the second pressure measurement device and detecting a second pressure measurement that is outside of the pre-determined range at the second pressure measurement device;
• and
• determining a blood flow velocity in the body lumen at least proximate to the therapeutic assembly using the detected first pressure measurement and the detected second pressure measurement.

A method, comprising:

• intravascularly delivering a therapeutic assembly to a treatment site within a body lumen of a human patient, wherein the therapeutic assembly comprises a pressure measurement device having at least two pressure regions separate and distinct from one another and an energy delivery element, and wherein nerves associated with renal function are located in tissue at least proximate a wall of the body lumen;
• obtaining a first pressure measurement at or otherwise proximate to the energy delivery element;
• using the first pressure measurement to determine a first parameter, the first parameter including at least one of a first blood flow velocity at the treatment site, a first orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall, and/or a first degree of contact between at least a portion of the energy delivery element and the wall;
• modulating the nerves using the energy delivery element after determining the first parameter;
• obtaining a second pressure measurement during and/or after modulating the nerves;
• and
• using the second pressure measurement to determine a second parameter, the second parameter including at least one of a second blood flow velocity at the treatment site, a second orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall, and/or a second degree of contact between at least a portion of the energy delivery element and the wall.

A system, comprising:

• an intravascular catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
• a therapeutic assembly carried by the distal portion of the shaft, the therapeutic assembly including—
• an energy delivery element configured to deliver energy to modulate nerves associated with sympathetic neural function;
• a pressure measurement device configured to measure pressure at or at least proximate to the energy delivery element, the pressure measurement device having a plurality of regions that are separated by one or more non-conductive areas;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the energy delivery element and the pressure measurement device, the controller configured to—
• obtain a plurality of pressure measurements corresponding individually to the plurality of regions;
• and
• determine an orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall based on at least one of the plurality of pressure measurements.

A system, comprising:

• an intravascular catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
• a therapeutic assembly carried by the distal portion of the shaft, the therapeutic assembly including—
• an energy delivery element configured to deliver energy to modulate nerves associated with sympathetic neural function;
• and
• a pressure measurement device positioned along the distal portion of the shaft adjacent to the energy delivery element, the pressure measurement device comprising—
• an outer ring having a plurality of first slots,
• an inner ring positioned within the outer ring, the inner ring having a plurality of second slots, wherein each of the second slots are circumferentially aligned with one of the first slots, wherein the first and second slots define a non-conductive area, and
• wherein the pressure measurement device includes a plurality of conductive regions that are separated by the non-conductive areas;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the energy delivery element and the pressure measurement device, the controller configured to—
• obtain a plurality of pressure measurements corresponding individually to the plurality of conductive regions;
• and
• determine an orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall based on at least one of the plurality of pressure measurements.